Washing apparatus



oct. 8, 1935.

H. F. SNYDER WASHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 26, 1925 Oct. 8, 1935. I F SNYDER 2,016,348

' WASHING APPARATUS Original Filed June 26, 1925 2 Shee-ts-Sheet 2 Patented oct. s, 1935 UNITED STATESI PATENT oFFicE WASHING APPARATUS Howard F. Snyder, deceased, late of Newton, Iowa, by Lettie Snyder, executrix, Newton, Iowa, assigner to The Maytag Company, Newton, Iowa, acorporation of Delaware Original application June 26, 1925, Serial No.

'3 Claims.

pending application, Serial No. 39,871, filed June 26, 1925, the present application being a division of said application Serial No. 39,871.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an alternately rotatable tub having liquid impelling members which are constructed and arranged to cause the washing liquid to ow in gyratory paths, moving in a general direction from the central axis of rotation outwardly and upwardly and then downwardly toward the central axis of rotation in continuous, tortuous paths, reversing in general directional movements to correspond with the alternate rotations of the tub.

Another-object of the -present invention is to provide a novel mechanism for securing an alternative rotation of the liquid impelling means.

The invention comprehends the idea of providing a novel mechanism for securing a variable alternate rotation of the liquid impelling means,

this mechanism including suitable means whereby the speed of alternate rotation of this impelling means may be easily and readily varied by an attendant, as desired.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the mechanism for securing a variable alternate rotation of the liquid impelling means about a vertical axis, and especially in the im proved details of' construction of the automatic mechanism for securing variation in the oscillation of the vertically disposed shaft which drives the liquid impelling member. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a-novel mechanism for alternately rotating the liquid impelling means in a washing machine in opposite directions, this mechanism having control means or transmission mechanism whereby the liquidimpelling means may be arrested even though the mechanism for causing alternate roy tation of the same continues to operate.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the driving mechanism with theA tub removed. Referring now more in detail to the drawings,

Divided and this application April 30, 1931, Serial No. 534,120

an embodiment of the present novel driving mechanism selected to illustrate the invention is shown as being mounted on a washing machine support I and as being adapted to alternately rotate or oscillate the shaft 2 having its lower 5 end mounted in suitable bearings 3 of the support I, and supporting a liquid impelling member 4 at its upper end. This mechanism is constructed and arranged so that a variable oscillation may be imparted to this shaft 2 whereby a 10 gentle or violent oscillation may be imparted to the liquid impelling member and. whereby, if der sired, the liquid impelling member will be brought to rest while the prime mover therefor continues to` operate. 15

And while in vthe present invention the liquid impelling member is disclosed as a tub 4, it is to be understood that any other liquid impelling means may be operatively associated with the end of the shaft 2 for causing the ow of a 20 washing liquidrin the manner above indicated.

The present novel driving mechanism, illustrative of the invention, comprises a prime mover lr6, in the present instance, an electric motor suitably mounted on the support I. This motor is25 provided with a gear Il meshing with a larger gear I8 on a shaft I9 having bearings in the support I. This shaft is provided on its end with a I bevel gear 20 gearing with a horizontally disposedbevel gear 2l mounted on a vertically disposed 30 shaft 22 journaled in the frame I. Shaft 22 is adapted to drive the usual wringer mechanism which forms no part of the present invention. The horizontal bevel gear 2| is provided with a crank arm 23 which is adapted to be oscillated 35 in a horizontal plane. And the outer end of this crank arm 23 connects to an oscillatable member vwhich will now be described.

This oscillatable member has a portion in the form of a yoke 24 having the furcations 25 spaced 40 apart. These furcations are formed with outward extending bearings 2.6 adapted to receive shafts 2l journaled in bearings 28 carried by the frame of the support I. The rear portion of the yoke 24 is provided with a rod 2S which projects 45 forwardly and between the furcations 25. This rod 29 is of considerable length. One of the furcations 25 of this yoke shaped member is provided With an `integral arm 30 which connects with a yoke 3| formed on the outer end of the 50 link 23 and is pivoted thereto by means of a pivot pin 32 so that when the link 23 is oscillated this connection Will cause the oscillation of the yoke 24- about its pivotal axis and this movement in turn will cause the oscillation of the rod 2S which is integrally formed with the yoke ,24. The maximum positions of oscillation of this rod 29 are illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. .1 This rod 29 is provided with a member connected thereto but adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the rod from a point coincident with the axis of rotation of the yoke 24 to the outer end of the rod 29. In the present instance this member consists of a recessed or hollow block 33 which surrounds and is slidable along the rod 29 from one end to the other. This block 33 is provided with a yoke 34 in the form of spaced links to the outer end of which is pivoted a link 35 plvotally connecting as at 36 to a geared sector 31 pivotally mounted as at 38 on a cross bar 39 of the support. The teeth 40 of the sector in turn mesh with a pinion 4| rigid with the shaft 2.

Means is provided for shifting block 33 longiltudinally of rod 29. I'his means comprises a rod 42 pivotally connected as at 53 to link 35 or yoke 34. 'I'he outer end of this rod 42 connects to a lever 43 pivotally mounted as at 44 to a cross bar 45 of the support. 'I'he outer end of this link 43 is pivotally connected to a rod 46 which in turn connects with a lever 41 pivoted as atA 49 to the side of the machine. The upper end of this lever is provided with a handle 49 and a clutch member which is adapted to engage in a notch segment 50 in the side of the machine tfo that when the lever is shifted it will remain in adjusted position.

In operation, when the lever is pulled to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 the link 43 will be moved to its dotted line position and the rod 42 likewise to its dotted line position which will swing link 35 to the right to cause the block 33 to be moved tol a point between the furcations 25 and coincident with the axis of the yoke 24 which is in line with the center of rotation of the shaft 21. And since this is the center of oscillation of the yoke 24, no movement of oscillation will be communicated to the block 33 even while the rod 29 is being oscillated by means of the arm and link 23 driven from the prime mover. In this position no movement will be communicated to the sector 40 and to the shaft 2 so that the tub will remain at rest even While the prime mover is still in motion. k

If now the lever 41 is thrown to the full line position the 4block 33 will be moved in the' opposite direction to a point adjacent the end of the rod 29 and the maximum oscillation will'be imparted to the sector 40 and to the washing machine tub which will be violently rotated first in one direction and then in the other.Y It must be manifest that any degree of movement can be secured between maximum oscillation and no movement by adjusting the position of the lever 41. It will also be evident that this variable throw or oscillation of the tub is secured without the intervention of a clutch or the like and that the member having bifurcations forming an axis of oscillation, a prime mover, means connecting said member and prime mover to oscillate said member about said axis, said member having a portion extending intermediate said furcations, a block shiftably mounted on said member and shiftable to a point between said furcations and coincident with said axis of oscillation, means for shifting said block, and a, link connecting said block to said sector-gear.

2. Ina washing machine, a liquid impelling member, a shaft for driving said member, a gear 0n said shaft, a gear sector engaging said gear and adapted to be oscillated whereby to alternately rotate said gear, shaft and member, means for oscillating said sector comprising a prime mover, a train of gears, a crank arm, a yoke-having bifurcations, one of said furcations being connected to said arm, a rod in said yoke and slidably connected to said gear sector, and means connected with said other furcation to move said slidable connection whereby to vary the speed of the shaft from maximum to zero.

3. In a washing machine provided with atub having a drive shaft, means for varying the speed of the shaft from maximum to zero comprising a gear, a gear segment, means for oscillating said segment ncluding a yoke, means for oscillating said yoke, a rod in said yoke and slidably connected to said gear segment, and means connected with said yoke for moving said sliding connection.

LE II'IE SN Y DER', 50 

